The Keyboard PLAYING POSITION FINGERING

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1 The Keyboard A variety of keyboard instruments enjoy popularity today, including the piano, electronic keyboards, synthesizers, and barred instruments played with mallets. All of these instruments have in common a specific pattern of black and white keys (or bars), and all are excellent tools for visualizing and performing music. The following information pertains to the piano. PLAYIN POSITION Sit directly in front of the middle of the keyboard, far enough back so that your arms and elbows can move freely. Lean a bit forward at the waist, keeping your torso straight. Keep your hands, wrists, and forearms level with the keyboard. urve fingers gently and slightly arch your hand. Strike the keys (don t press!) with the fleshy part of the fingers and keep your fingers close to the keys. Photo by A. Lindeman.. INRIN The numbers through are assigned to specific fingers of both hands. These same arabic numerals (usually written very small) appear above or below the notes in piano music to indicate the preferred fingering. Left Hand () Right Hand ()

2 NAMS O TH KYS The first seven letters of the alphabet A, B,,,,, and are used to name the eighty-eight keys of the piano. The black keys use the same letter names as the white keys but with the addition of a q (sharp) or a s (flat). Notice that each black key has two names. A A B A B STA NOTATION The grand or great staff actually two staves is used to notate piano music. The upper staff identifies the higher notes, usually played by the right hand (), and the lower staff specifies the lower notes, usually played by the left hand (). The treble clef, or clef, encircles the second line () of the higher staff. The bass clef, or clef, has dots above and below the fourth line () of the lower staff. Ledger lines (short lines) can be added above and below the staves to extend the pitch range. Notice that stems point up on notes below the middle line of the staff and point down on notes on and above the middle line. rand Staff? œ # œ bœ œ # œ bœ œ œœ # bœ œ œœ # bœ œ œœ # bœ œ & œ # œ bœ œ œœ # bœ œ œœ # bœ œ œœ # bœ I I I I A I I I I I A I I I I I A I I I I I A I b b b Ab Bb b b b Ab Bb b b b Ab Bb b b b Ab Bb œ # œ bœ œ œ &? Bass lef A B A B A B A B Treble lef Bass lef Middle Treble lef h h h h h h h h h H H H H H H H H H A B A B A B A B h h h h h h h h H H H H H H H H H H

3 PLAYIN MLOIS WITH TH RIHT HAN The right hand most often plays the melody line. or simple melodies that include the first five pitches of a scale, the thumb and fingers touch consecutive keys in what is known as the five-finger pattern. The two familiar patterns are major and minor. Both use a specific sequence of whole and half steps. A half step is the distance from one key (black or white) to the very next key above or below. A whole step includes two half steps or involves skipping one key in between (black or white.) half steps whole steps Major ive-inger Pattern The major five-finger pattern includes five pitches with the following whole- and halfstep distances between keys. All five notes in the pattern are identified by different letter names. Any key or pitch can be used as the first pitch (tonic or home tone). whole whole half whole Major Middle Minor ive-inger Pattern The minor five-finger pattern includes five pitches with the following whole- and halfstep distances between keys: whole half whole whole A minor A B

4 Selected Major ive-inger Patterns Major five-finger pattern Major five-finger pattern Major five-finger pattern A Major five-finger pattern Middle Middle Middle Selected Minor ive-inger Patterns minor five-finger pattern Middle Middle Middle Middle A B A A B Major five-finger pattern B A A minor five-finger pattern A B A minor five-finger pattern minor five-finger pattern Middle B Middle A A B

5 PLAYIN HORS WITH TH LT HAN In accompanying songs, the left hand often plays three or more pitches simultaneously (a chord) to accompany the melody. The chords are indicated by letter names written above the melody (called lead sheet notation). Triads A triad is a chord with three pitches with the interval of a third between each pitch. ombining the first, third, and fifth pitches of the major five-finger pattern forms a major triad, for example, a Major triad includes the pitches,, and. A minor triad can be formed by combining the first, third, and fifth pitches of the minor fivefinger pattern; for example, an A minor triad includes the pitches, A,, and. Am Seventh hords A seventh chord consists of four pitches again with the interval of a third between each. It is identified with a 7 following the letter name (for example, 7). 7 hord Accompaniments Many melodies are accompanied by more than one chord. The physical movement of changing from one chord to another needs to be as smooth and easy as possible. Therefore, pitches in a chord are often rearranged for ease in playing, as shown on the following chart Piano Position hords in Selected Major and Minor Keys. Pitches in a specific triad can be played in any arrangement (inversion) as long as the original pitches are retained. or example, the Major chord can be rearranged as follows: A, A, or A. To make the seventh chord easier to play, when the chord is inverted, a note is omitted. or example, the 7 chord ( B ) is frequently played B, with the omitted. uidelines for Playing hord Accompaniments etermine which chords are needed by locating the uppercase letters above the melody. These letters specify the chord name, whether it is major, minor, or a seventh and when each chord occurs. ind the needed chords on the charts that follow and practice the chords trying to move as smoothly as possible from one to the next. Try the chords with the melody continuing to play each chord (rhythmically) until a different one is indicated. or example, when a single chord name is shown only once at the beginning of a one-chord melody, repeat the chord throughout usually on the first beat of each measure.

6 PIANO POSITION HORS IN SLT MAJOR AN MINOR KYS Key of Major 7 Key of Major 7 Key of Major A7

7 Key of A Major A 7 Key of Major A B7 Key of Major B 7

8 Key of B b Major B 7 Key of b Major A B7 Key of A Minor Am m 7

9 Key of Minor m Am B7 Key of Minor m m A7 Key of Minor m m 7

10 MLOIS USIN TH IV-INR PATTRNS The following songs are found in Section Three. Refer to the preceding chart for specific five-finger patterns and to the Piano Position hords in Selected Major and Minor Keys for specific chords. Major ive-inger Pattern ena, eena Pease Porridge Hot Swing a Lady Love Somebody Jim-Along, Josie Hey, Lidee Riding in the Buggy My reydl Wishy Washy Wee When the Saints o Marching In hords, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7,, 7 Major ive-inger Pattern own ame a Lady Suo an WhoÊs That Yonder? Hot ross Buns Mary Had a Little Lamb Lightly Row o Tell Aunt Rhody, 7, 7, 7, 7 Major ive-inger Pattern Matarile uerme Pronto, A7, A7 Major ive-inger Pattern ais o o Long-Legged Sailor, 7, 7 Minor ive-inger Pattern andles of Hanukkah m, m, A7

11 PLAYIN MLOIS BYON TH IV-INR PATTRN Many melodies extend above and below the five-finger pattern. Some require expanding the hand to cover the additional pitches. or example, ive Angels (see Section Three) spans six pitches ( to A), requiring the expanded hand position. ive an gels ring a round my bed. et Other melodies require crossover or crossunder fingering or both. The first part of Joy to the World descends eight pitches and needs crossover fingering. * rossover fingering Joy to the world, the Lord is come: ingering for melodies must fit the shape and scope of the melody. hoose a fingering that requires as little motion as possible and is consistent. Avoid placing the same thumb or finger on two consecutive notes, and try not to use the thumb on a black key. or most piano playing, unless otherwise indicated, move from one pitch to another in a smooth, connected style (legato) by lifting one finger just as the next finger strikes. MLOIS BYON TH IV-INR PATTRNS The following melodies extend beyond the five-finger patterns and often require two, three, or more chords for an accompaniment. Songs are found in Section Three. hords Sally, o ÊRound the Sun Looby Loo Ode to Joy (Beethoven) London Bridge Kum Ba Yah ive Angels beneezer Sneezer America Michael, Row the Boat Ashore America the Beautiful This is Halloween HeÊs ot the Whole World Up on the Housetop Oh, Susanna YouÊre a rand Old lag, 7, 7, 7, A7,, 7,, 7,, 7,, 7,, 7 A,, 7 m, 7, A7,, A7, BL, 7, BL, 7, 7, m, 7

12 requently Used Major Scales (with Piano ingerings) B Major Major A Major Major A Major () () Major () () B Major () () Major () () Major () () Major () () Major () () requently Used Minor Scales (with Piano ingerings) Natural Minor () () Harmonic Minor () () Natural Minor () () Harmonic Minor () () Harmonic Minor () () B Natural Minor () () B Harmonic Minor () () A Natural Minor () () () A Harmonic Minor () Natural Minor () ()